Municipal and Developer Success Rates at the Ontario Municipal Board: A London, Ontario Case Study

Author

Dan Scheid, Western University

Date of Award

7-1-2016

Degree Type

Major Research Paper

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration

Program

Political Science

Supervisor

Lyons, Joe

Geographical Areas

London, Ontario

Abstract

The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) is a quasi-judicial tribunal with the authority to render decisions regarding land-use planning disputes. Using London, Ontario as a case study, this paper attempts to determine if municipalities or developers are generally more successful before the OMB when they are in direct opposition. The research seeks to highlight the underlying reasons why OMB makes its decisions, what it bases its decisions on, and any ramifications this may have for municipalities and developers. Through an extensive literature review, comparisons to other empirical studies of a similar nature, and a carefully selected research design, this paper provides evidence regarding the behaviour of the OMB. The findings reveal that it relies on two dominant factors to make its decisions: quality of planning designs and expert testimony.

Recommended Citation

Scheid, Dan, "Municipal and Developer Success Rates at the Ontario Municipal Board: A London, Ontario Case Study" (2016). MPA Major Research Papers. 149.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/lgp-mrps/149